Carl Harstrom

Carl Axel Harstrom (December 20, 1863 – January 24, 1926) was an American educator, and one term Republican mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut from 1915 to 1917.

Carl Axel Harstrom
16th Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut
In office October 13, 1915[1] – 1917
Preceded by	Francis Irwin Burnell
Succeeded by	Jeremiah Donovan
Personal details
Born	(1863-12-20)December 20, 1863[2] Västerås, Sweden[2]
Died	January 24, 1926(1926-01-24) (aged 62)[3] Norwalk, Connecticut[3]
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Lee Selden Partridge[2](d . August 27, 1926)[3]
Children	Frances (b. 1890), Carl Eric (b. 1892)[2]
Residence	Norwalk, Connecticut
Alma mater	Peekskill Military Academy (1880) Hobart College (A.B., 1886; M.A., 1889)[4] Yale College (1899, PhD.)[2]
Occupation	educator

Early life and family

Harstrom was born in Västerås, Sweden.[2] He was the son of Carl Gustaf and Amelia Adolphina Fosberg Harstrom.[2][5] His father was a manufacturer in Sweden who brought his family to America in 1872, when Carl Axel was nine years of age.[2] He attended the Peekskill Military Academy, and graduated in 1880.[2] He taught school for two years before entering Hobart College.[2] He graduated as valedictory orator[4] and with magna cum laude honors.[2] He earned an A.B in 1886, and an M.A. in 1889.[2][5] He served as headmaster at the Peekskill Academy for three years, and principle of Vienland Preparatory School for four years.[2] On June 20, 1888, Professor Harstrom married Lee Selden Partridge of Phelps, New York.[2][5]

Life in Norwalk

He moved to Norwalk in 1891 to take a position as headmaster of the Norwalk Military Academy.[2] He started his own private preparatory school for boys in Norwalk in 1893.[2]

While teaching and serving as headmaster, he also pursued his own education at Yale University in classical Philology from 1896 to 1899. He earned his PhD in 1899.[2][5] He was a member of Theta Delta Chi, and served as its national president for five consecutive terms.[2]

Political career

In Norwalk, he served as a member of the Board of Estimate.[5] In 1915, Harstrom was elected mayor of Norwalk and served a two-year term. During his term of office he reconstructed the financial system, with the result of making it more transparent to the public.[5] He is credited with introducing voting machines to Norwalk.[5] He is also credited for the many miles of hard pavement laid during his term.[5]

During the World War he was chairman of the local draft board.[5] He was a founding board member of the Norwalk Savings Bank and of the Fairfield County Savings Bank.[5]

Associations

• Member, American Philological Association[2][5]
• Member, Phi Beta Kappa Society[2][4]
• Member, Yale Club of New York City[2][5]
• Member, Norwalk Club[2][5]
• Member, Knob Outing Club of Norwalk[2]
• Vestryman, Grace Episcopal Church[2][5]
• President of the Grand Lodge, Theta Delta Chi[4]
• Member, Senior Warden, Master Mason (1917), Worshipful Master (1922), St. John's Lodge No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons[6]

Awards

• Valedictorian, Hobart College[4]
• Horace White Essay Prize[4]
• Junior Greek Prize[4]
• Senior Debate Prize[4]
• Phi Beta Kappa[4]

References

1. The Highland Democrat
2. Men of Mark This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Obituary - Mrs. Lee Selden Harstrom
4. The Shield
6. The Norwalk Hour

Preceded by Francis Irwin Burnell	Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut 1915–1917	Succeeded by Jeremiah Donovan